Perfect
by ExplodingMrPond
Summary: Lily is perfect for James...Why can't she see that?


**Perfect.**

Glistening tears. That's all James had seen in a while now- glistening tears falling from her rose red cheeks, into her lap while she bit her lip and held back her sobs.

How had no one noticed? The most clever, beautiful witch in the school was crying, and her perfect snow white skin was now _imperfect_, with red blotches across her soft cheeks.

Merlin, she was still beautiful.

She'd been sat by herself in the library when he'd found her. She'd been sitting, holding her hands with a vice grip, holding back her sobs, but still shaking with fright. Then she looked up at him with those stunning emerald eyes, and looked scared. Lily was never scared.

As soon as he saw her like that, he was overcome with grief. She should never look like that. She should always be smiling and laughing. But she wasn't. She was crying and upset, and scared.

"J-James?"

She'd never said his first name before. And he was looking over her, trying to make some witty comment on how attractive she looked when she was crying…but he couldn't. Because no matter how wonderful he thought she was, no matter what he would say, she'd never called him 'James' in his whole life. She'd called him names or just, 'Potter'.

Never just 'James'.

Then he was angry. Angrier than he'd been in his whole life. Whoever had made her cry was going to die. Most definitely. He was going to hex them into oblivion… then bring them back from oblivion and do it 50 times over. No one makes Lily cry.

"What's wrong…?" He soothed. He sat down next to her and rubbed her back, as her tears welled up.

"Everything! Everything is wrong!" Silent tears caressed her cheeks, making her freckles stand out strikingly. Merlin, how much he wanted to hold her just, and make everything better, to show her someone cared- to show her how much he cared. He hushed her tears and wiped them from her cheek…

"Tell me…" He whispered. He was still rubbing her back, but she seemed numb beneath him. How long had she been sat here, before he had came?

"You don't want to know…" She cried. She looked away from him, her astonishing red hair, sweeping around her, making a make shift curtain to hide her from his gaze. He was young and foolish and he didn't think.

He slid his hand under her face, and held her chin. She looked up at him shocked. He wasn't smiling at her like he used to. That childish grin no longer stayed, plastered on his face, as he laughed with his friends and told so many bad jokes…

"I do want to know." He said determinedly. "If something's wrong I want to make it right for you…" He'd hardly registered saying it but the words still lingered there.

'I want to make it right for you…'

He had let her know too much. He let her know he cared too much. But she just blushed and pulled herself away. She shook her head. She wasn't listening to him was she? He could feel his heart breaking... he was always so scared to say too much… and she didn't care.

"James… James you don't want to know. Please… It's fine." She gave him a half-hearted smile. It didn't reach her eyes. It was his turn to shake his head. He would rather die than leave her, knowing she was crying here by herself.

"I want to know." He said determinedly. She frowned and he saw that look of hatred in her eyes- the same one he would see when she didn't like one of his pranks. When she would be so angry at him, and he could never figure out why. He hated her getting angry.

"You don't Potter." She scowled. The only traces she had been crying, where the small blotches scattered across her cheeks. He stared at her. Never before had he really thought it possible for Lily Evans to cry. Yet he had seen her.

And now everything was back to normal. His hand was still on her back and he gingerly removed it. Then he saw it. A flicker of sadness across her features as she turned and stood up. He knew he shouldn't have reacted on it but he did.

"I love you."

Hardly a whisper. That was all it took. And she spun round and stared at him. "You still…" The tears were back.

"Tell me what's wrong, Lily. I love you. I want to know why your hurt." He might as well tell her the truth. His weak attempts at ignoring her had worked for a time… she hadn't gotten angry at him in quite a while. But ignoring her hadn't helped him in any other way. He just missed her _more. _

She flung herself into his arms. They fitted together perfectly. The touch of her skin, her arms around him, and his arms around her… it _fitted._ She tilted her head so her pure childlike eyes gazed up at him. A cute blush covered her face…

"James… I-I love you too."

Then she buried her head in his chest. He was shocked. He was surprised. But the rapid beating of his heart told him exactly wanted to hear. It was the best thing he'd ever heard. It was exhilarating. And he'd never felt happier in his life. But she had been crying because of him… did she think he had given up on her? Of course he always loved her. Since he'd set eyes on her in first year… he knew she was the one.

Before he'd realised it, he was cupping her face in her hands, and he was leaning in and a smile was lingering on her lips and her eyes were already closed… and he kissed her.

Her lips were smooth and moist against his own, and butterflies were attacking his stomach and he felt light headed because it was _Lily Evans. _The girl of his dreams. How long had he wanted this and not been allowed?

And she tasted sweet, and all he could smell was her, and all he could hear was their hearts beating against each other and all he knew, was it was her lips against his, and her arms around him and- Merlin… she tasted of strawberries.

She was, absolutely, positively, with no doubt about it:

_Perfect. _


End file.
